Getting to Know Line Array Speakers
Line Array speakers are the most popular and most commonly seen speakers at concerts. This article takes an in-depth look at their strengths and limitations.
What Is a Line Array Speaker?
A Line Array speaker is a speaker designed according to Line Source theory. The cabinet looks like several speakers stacked in a long vertical column, and it is usually flown at a high point with each cabinet angled downward, or floor-mounted with each cabinet angled upward, to spread sound across the desired area. Line Array speakers can be classified into two types, as follows:
Near-Field is a Line Array speaker for short-range sound coverage, providing sound to nearby areas in front of the stage.
Far-Field is a Line Array speaker for long-range sound coverage, with its dispersion direction set by the installer.
Strengths of Line Array Speakers
Each cabinet's angle can be adjusted to achieve a dispersion angle suited to the area, making installation convenient and reducing the burden of transporting large amounts of audio equipment. They can project high-frequency energy at certain frequencies well over long distances, reducing loudness loss better than some speaker types such as Point Source speakers, and they maintain clear sound well even in reverberant spaces.
Limitations of Line Array Speakers
Line Array speakers are fairly expensive, and if the installer is not skilled, they can be damaged during installation. We recommend finding a shop or company that both sells and installs them, for the user's benefit.